Combined tie and rail holder and spike-puller



(N0 Mod l.

W. PALMER. COMBINED TIE AND RAIL HOLDER AND SPIKE FULLER. v v No.333,539 Patented Jan. 5-, 1886.

llll UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

WILLIAM PALMER, OF JACKSONVILLE, OHIO.

COMBINED TIE AND RAIL HOLDER AND SPlKE-PULLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,539, dated January5, 1886.

Application filed August 21, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PALMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at J acksonville, in the county of Athens and State of Ohio,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Combined Tie-Lifter andSpike-Puller, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

Myinvention has relation to a compound implement for holding the railsof a railwaytrack securely and firmlyon the cross-tie for driving aspike,-and to a spike-puller; and the novelty consists in theconstruction and combination of parts, substantially as hereinafterfully set forth and claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide a tie and rail holder andspike-puller in one implement, and which shall be simple, strong, anddurable in construction, cheap of manufacture, and effective and easy ofoperation.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved rail-holding and spike-pulling implement. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view thereof; and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail viewsof opposite ends of the handle-bar enlarged,to more fully sh ow thepeculiar construction of the various parts. Fig. 5 is a view of thedevice in position for use as a tie-holder.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings, referring to which- A designates the improvedimplement for holding the rail and pulling spikes of a railway-track, towhich the implement is especially adapted for use.

B designates the handle bar, preferably round in cross-section andprovided at opposite ends with the spike-puller and rail-holding device0 D, respectively, the peculiar construction of which I will now proceedto describe more fully.

The spike-puller 0 comprises two arms, 0 0, formed integral with thehandlebar at one end thereof and bent at an angle thereto, as shown, thearms being preferably rectangular in form and separated from each otherby an intervening space or slot, 0. The adjacent inner faces of the armsare recessed, cut away, or hollowed out, as at c, to permit the innersurfaces of the arms to snugly fit the head of the spike when the deviceis inserted thereunder.

Serial No. 175,009. (No model.)

The operation is obvious. The bent arms are laid flat upon the tie orparallel therewith, which will bring the handle-bar B at an anglethereto when the arms are forced forward or pushed under the spike-headand pressure on the outer end of the handlebar is exerted to elevate thespike and arms 0, the recessed portions of which closely engage thespikehead. The fulcrum for the bar and arms 0 is at the junction orangle where the said arms and bar meet or diverge.

The tie-elevator D is arranged or formed at the opposite end of thehandle-bar B,and comprises two prongs, D, whichare formed integral withsaid handle-bar. The end of the handle-bar at which are arranged theprongs D is bifurcated or split for a portion of its length, to providethe arms or prongs D, which are thus formed integral therewith, and attheir inner ends they are bent at nearly right angles to the handle-barand gradually diverge outward from each other toward their outer ends,where they are each provided with a bent portion, E, which are taperedfrom the point of juncture with the arms D to the outer ends thereof, asshown, and arranged in the plane of the handle-bar;

I attach importance to the peculiar construction and arrangement of thearms 0' of the spike-extracting device, and to the arrangement of theprongs D D, and to forming said parts integral with the handle-bar B, asI thereby provide an implement which combines great strength,simplicity, and durability of construction with cheapness and facilityof manufacture, and which will supply a long-felt want to workmenengaged in laying railway-track.

The rail-holding device is used as follows: The upper ends of thebifurcated prongs are fitted over the rail so that the said prongsembrace or straddle the rail on opposite sides, and thus lie in avertical position,while the arms E of said prongs are fitted under thecross-tie and lie in a horizontal position. The rail is thus firmly andsecurely held down upon the tie, and the spike is driven therein to holdsaid rail in place,as is usual. The attendant exerts pressure on thefree end of the handle-bar, to hold the parts in positi0n,either by thehands or sitting thereon, and after the spike has been driven theimplement is re- IOU moved and used again for a similar purpose, or forextracting a spike, the opposite end of the implement being brought intoplay for accomplishing the latter object.

It will be observed that the implement is reversible, end for end,forits different uses, and that it can be effectively and quickly used.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A compound implement for holdingrails and extracting spikes,consisting of a handlebar having at one end two recessed arms arrangedat an angle to said bar and provided at its opposite end with prongshaving bent arms, as set forth.

2. A compound implement for holding rails and extracting spikes,comprising a handle.- bar having two bent prongs at one end diverginglaterally from each other and having a bent arm, and at its opposite endwith parallel bent arms having recessed faces, as set forth.

3. A compound implement for holding rails and extracting spikes,comprisinga handle-bar having two bent laterally-diverging prongs, D, atone end, and each prong provided with a bent arm, E, and at its oppositeend with bent parallel arms 0, separated by an intermediate slot,andhaving recesses 0 formed on the vertical inner faces thereof, as setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

W'ILLIAM PALMER.

WVitnesses:

CHARLES "WILLIAMs, ADDIE KEMPToN.

